A new coronavirus variant, dubbed the omicron variant, sent the world into high alert over the holiday weekend, driving a sharp increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations across South Africa. Governments around the world announced travel restrictions that target African regions, triggering resentment among Africans who believed that the continent was again being the target of Western countries' panicked policies. The World Health Organization believes the omicron variant poses a "very high" risk as it may be more transmissible than other strains of the virus.

How Omicron Variant Rattled the World in One Week - The Wall Street Journal

How vaccine makers plan to address the new COVID-19 omicron variant - NPR

@SeanDefoe: Ten possible cases of the Omicron variant in Ireland have been sent for full genome sequencing. They were selected from positive Covid tests as they show a thing called 'S-gene dropout' which is linked with variants, not all of which are Omicron

Inflation rose at its fastest pace in October since the early 1990s, according to the Commerce Department. Consumer spending rose 1.3% for the month. Minutes from the Fed’s November meeting showed worries about inflation dominated the monthly policy meeting, with officials saying they would be willing to raise interest rates if prices keep rising. Additionally, jobless claims plummeted to the lowest level in more than half a century at 199,000, another sign of a post-pandemic economic rebound.

High inflation? Low polling? White House blames the pandemic - Associated Press

Millennials Confront High Inflation for the First Time - The New York Times

@RBReich: We need to talk about the deeper structural reason for inflation, one that appears to be growing worse: the concentration of the American economy in the hands of a few corporate giants with the power to raise prices.

The Biden administration on Tuesday asked a federal appeals court to lift the court-ordered stay on stay on the sweeping workplace COVID-19 vaccination mandate, urging the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to at least alternatively allow a masking-and-testing requirement. One day after the Biden administration’s deadline for compliance, 92% of the 3.5 million federal workers covered by the mandate reported they are at least partially vaccinated.

A flood of covid patients causes ‘almost unmanageable’ strain in Michigan as cases rise nationwide - The Washington Post

Some Hospitals Prepare to Lose Staff Over Covid-19 Vaccination Mandate - The Wall Street Journal

According to ADP’s People at Work 2021 poll, 64% of the global workforce reported being negatively impacted by COVID-19, with 28% saying they lost a job, were furloughed or were temporarily laid off. Additionally, 75% of the global workforce made changes or planned to change how or where they live. Gallup research suggests that one of the ways to combat the Great Resignation is to have a best friend at work as it links directly to how much employees put into their roles.

How the Covid-19 Pandemic Changed Employee Training - The Wall Street Journal

The benefits of not joining the Great Resignation - BBC

@mkobach: There’s a rare opportunity for most cities/states/counties to reinvent themselves by optimizing for remote work. The economic spoils will go to the places that figure this out the fastest.

Air travel in the U.S. soared over Thanksgiving, as more than 2.3 million Americans flew for the holiday, setting a pandemic record close to 2019 numbers. Airport passenger daily volumes exceeded two million people for seven straight days through Wednesday, Nov. 24, with very few flight cancelations, signaling a shift from the problems that have plagued air travel in recent months.

The Holiday Travel Crush Has Begun. Are the Airlines Up to It? - The New York Times

@StackhouseJohn: US holiday air travel 2x last year. Road traffic will be similar. How will we fuel this demand next year and beyond? #economy #ChartoftheDay

"Millennials...